Together Now

Families are often separated by war, torture and repression. Once they have proved their stories and been granted refugee status they have the right to bring family to live with them. This is a complex and expensive process which often keeps children and parents, partners and siblings apart for several more years. Isn’t that unthinkable?

Together Now is an entirely volunteer led charity working to reunite refugee families. They help people negotiate the complex legal systems and pay for travel, screenings and visas, they help when vulnerable people have to make dangerous journeys and are there right to the end of the journey to make sure everyone gets home safely

They say it far better than I can;

“desperate to be reunited with their families some refugees go to extreme lengths to raise money for their family’s travel including going without food and borrowing from anyone who’ll lend it. Some are forced to bring family members over separately meaning children can be sent unaccompanied which can leave them vulnerable to trafficking and abuse”

This process can be heartbreaking, hardest for the families experiencing separation of course, but also hard for the expert volunteers who work in the increasingly hostile UK climate. I think most people would be shocked to know how difficult the UK government makes it for people to see their loved ones again.